Means for turning fabric tubes



Oct. 14, 1947. w. A. PLUMMER, JR 2,428,943

MEANS FOR TURNI NG FABRIC TUBES Filed Jan. 9, 1945' L 7 I u 3 29 29 3255s 30 W o 5' WALTEEA.H1/MM@ ATTORNEY.

INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 14, 1947 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR TURNINGFABRIC TUBES Walter A.'Plummer, Jr; Burbank, Calif.

Application January 9, 1943, Serial No. 471,911

My invention relates generally to means for forming and turning fabrictubes and the like. It is a primary object of my invention to providenovel apparatus for the manufacture of fabric tubes wherein the tubesare formed from a long strip of fabric and continuously turned insideout after being formed.

It is a particular object of my invention to provide means about which atube of fabric may be formed and through which the formed tube can bedrawn to turn it inside out. It is also a particu lar object to provideguide means for maintaining the seam of the fabric tube in the samerelative position and extending longitudinally at all times during theprocess. It is a further object of my invention to provide a means forexpanding the fabric tube as it emerges from the tube turning means sothat the tube can readily be rolled up or otherwise stored in a fiatcondition.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawing and thefollowing description thereof. Referring to the drawing, which is forillustrative purposes only Fig. l is a plan view of apparatus embodyingthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the endof the tube about which the fabric is formed and through which it isdrawn, the fabric being omitted from the view;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side View of the end of the tube taken on line4-4 of Fig. 3 and showing the fabric in section;

Fig. 5 is a cross section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a cross section on line 6-45 of Fig. 1.

More particularly describing the invention ref..

erance numeral ll generally indicates a tubular.

member about which the fabric is brought together to form a tube andthrough which the formed tube of fabric is drawn to turn it inside out.The tubular member has a flattened cross sectional shape as clearlyshown in Fig. 3 and is supported at one end by a suitable standard 14,the remainder of the member projecting beyond the supporting means. Atits other end the tubular member II is provided with a notch I2, thepurpose of which will be explained later.

The particular tubular member H is only one means which might be usedand it is apparent that an ordinary tubular member or an elongated framework consisting of two or more elongated members suitably supported overwhich the fabric can be formed into a tube and between which it 3Claims. (c1.'112 ,6s)

can be drawn to turn it inside out might be used.

I The fabric 15 is continuously fed to the tubular member II and broughttherearound to form a fabric tube as indicated at I M.

The fabric may be stored on an upright rotatable spindle I! mounted in asuitable base IE or it may be otherwise handled as convenient. Anysuitable means either manual or otherwise may be used for feeding thefabric l5 to the tubular member H and gathering it thereabout so that itencloses the tubular member with its edge portions in overlapping orsuperimposed relation in the region l9. These edges are stitched asindicated at [9' by a sewing machine or the like diagrammaticallyindicated at 20. It is contemplated that some other means might be usedfor securing the edges of the fabric tube together.

It is to be noted that the fabric is brought around the tubular memberin the region intermediate its ends and at a point beyond the standardor support l4. After the fabric is formed into a tube 15a it is drawnthrough the tubular member to turn it inside out. As the turned fabrictube, indicated by [5b, emerges it is expanded laterally by means whichwill subsequently be described and which are generally indicated in Fig.1 by numeral 22. It may then be stored in a rotatable roll generallyindicated at 23 or folded into a bin or the like. Any suitable means maybe used for pulling the fabric through the tubular member such as amotive means for turning the storage wheel 23.

The tubular member I I is preferably made fiattened as indicated andprovided with a notch I! at the end over which the fabric is turned. Thenotch I2 is adapted to receive the seam of the fabric as it turns insideout and aid in maintaining the seam straight and extendinglongitudinally of the tubularmember. The seam portion of the fabrictube,'being relatively bulky, readily enters I meral 26 at the side ofthe tube on the inside thereof. For illustration only two sets of theseguide means have been shown, however, any number may be employed. Eachguide means 25 is supported on a beam 27 which in turn is supportedbeyond the unsupported end of the tubular member I I on a standard 28.With this construction the fabric tube may be passed through the tubularmember without any obstacles preventing such passage. The guide meansitself comprises a cross support member 29 which receives a member 30provided with a pair of wheels 3 I. Preferably these wheels are spacedapart in order to take up as much of the slack as possible. A singlewheel might be substituted however. A spring 32 serves to urge themember 30 outwardly. At the opposite end the member 29 has a yoke 29' inwhich are mounted a pair of spaced wheels 33.

The inner surfaces of these wheels converge to-v ward their axis ofrotation so that the distance between them is greater at theirperipheriesithan at their axes.

Mounted opposite the guide meansflfi ontheinner surface of the tubularmember H :is a.guide wheel 35 which can be supported in any suitable wayas by the complementary membersSfi. This guide wheel 35 is adapted toengage the seam 26 of the fabrictube .and hold it between the twowheelsLSE-Lthe three wheels cooperatingto maintain the seam of thefabric in the position shown. Thus, as the fabric tube is first formedabout the tubular member and subsequently turned overthe end thereof theseam tends to stay within the notch 1.2 and is maintained longitudinallyof the tubular member by "the guidemeans.

I-also provide a meansIZZ for expandingthe fabric-tube l shownasitemerges'from thetubular memberin order to prOVideafiat fabric tubewhichcan readily be stored. This guide means 22 comprises a sleevezSB.whichis mounted in the beamzl. Inthis connection it may bepointed outthat .the beam 2! is .reduced in height .at its end as indicated inFigs. .1 and 6. Mounted :in the sleeve .38 area pair of .plungers .39and :46 which are urgedoutwardly by a spring Al. The member All isprovided with axwhee1 42.atiits end overzwhich thefabric mayrun.-The;other.rnemberl3'9isprovided with a yo-ke39' whichrotatably supportsa pair of. spaced wheels. These wheels areadapted tosuppo-rtthe fabrictube-in theregion of the seamzfi which extends inwardly between thewheels as 'shown.

Inthe operation of the .apparatusshown a strip of fabric from anysuitable source is fedto and brought-around the tubular'member -Hintermediate its ends so-thatthe fabric encircles thetube.

The overlying edgeportions of the fabric are then stitched to formafabric tube. After -a=suflicient amount of fabric tube is formed it canbe threaded throughthe tubular member I l and-overexpansion guide means-22 to roll 23 after Whichthe movement o f the fabric "may becontinuous, the 1 fabric tube being progressively formed about thetubular:member and reversed or turned inside-out as itisdrawntherethrough by any. suitablemeans. During .its passage throughthe tubular member the :guide :meansificand theznotch I 2 of :the tribetendtOLmaintain thetube of fabric withithe. seam extendinglongitudinally along one s'ide the seam, being more bulky. than=theremainder of the :fabric, rides .inthe notch .which .acts :as aguide to maintain the positionof the fabric being turned on :the tubularmember. As the fabric :tube emerges from .the tubular. member it .isexpanded laterally into a ffiat tubelby .themeans 122 :after which itcan .bestoredina roll as shown or folded into a binorrthelike to form afolded1bolt.

Although, Lhave shown particular apparatus I contemplate that variouschanges .and modificav.end thereof; a guide member mounted inside ofsaid tubular member and projecting inwardly .fromthe wall of saidtubular member toward the center thereof, said guide member lying in aplane extending longitudinally of the tubular member;a,guideirneansincluding a pair of spaced elements adapted to overlapsaid guide member on opposite sides thereof for a limited extent; andmeans for supporting said guide means independently of :said ttubularmember.

. 12. In apparatus for use in forming and turning-a .fabric tube: :anelongated tubular member; means for supporting said tubular member atone endathereof; a guide wheel mounted inside-of said tubular memben theaxis of rotation of said wheel being perpendicular to a plane extendinglongitudinally of the longitudinal axis of the tubular member; a beamextending into said tubular member; means for supporting said'beambeyond the unsupported .end of said tubular member; andguidevmeansonsaidbeam inside of .said tuhularmember in theregion of'said guide Wheelcomprising a pair of spaced fabric tube engaging wheels overlapping saidguide .wheel on opposite =sides thereof and a fabric tube engaging means:extending toward the inner :wall of said tubular.member oppositeto saidguide wheel.

3. In means for forming and 'turninga fabric tube: an'elongateditubularmember about which a fabric tube or the like can beformed .and through which itcan :be ,drawn to. turn .the sameinside-out, said tubular member having :azn-otch at theend thereof overwhich a'formed fabric tube is drawn adapted to receive theseam :of .aformed fabric tube as the same is drawn over the end of the tubularmember; resilient guide means inside-said tubular member for holding a.formed fabric tube in a=predeterminedzposition as itpasses through saidtubular .member.-and Lformaintaming the :formed fabric tube tautcircumferentiallynwith the "seam thereof substantially in aplanedisposed parallel to thelongitudinal axis of said tubular memberand passing :throughsaid notch, saidguidemeansbeing in'part insideand inpart outside of the fabric tube; and cantilever beamnieans mountedexteriorly of said tubular membersupportinga part-of said-guide means.

TWALTER A. PLUMMER, JR.

REFLERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file 0fthis patent:

UNITED vSTATES PATENTS Number Name Date 941,164: Murphy Nov. 23, .19091355384 'Bates .May 15, 1923 7 430,325 Stewart June 1'7, 18902,114.5;636 Scharf Jan. 31, 1939 373,481 Pelham Dec..13, '1910

